The transparent zebrafish develops the tuberculosis bug in the same way humans do and may help researchers develop new ways to treat the disease.

The new weapon for Auckland researchers trawling through ways to treat tuberculosis is a small tropical fish.

Researchers from Auckland University and Duke University in North Carolina have discovered the transparent zebrafish can develop a form of tuberculosis which closely resembles the human disease.

Auckland University's Philip Crosier says they have discovered the TB bug subverts the host's normal biological processes in a similar way to how tumours promote the development of new blood vessels to enhance their own growth.

Prof Crosier says the TB-causing germs induce the formation of granulomas - small areas of inflammation in tissue - on zebrafish in an almost identical way to which they do for humans.

"This discovery may open up new avenues not previously considered in the development of drugs to treat TB," he said.

"As the fish are transparent, the granulomas that form on the exterior surface of the embryonic zebrafish can be easily visualised."

The research team found that granuloma formation in zebrafish is intimately associated with new blood vessel formation, he said.

In addition, drugs which suppress granuloma-associated new blood vessel development could reduce the infection burden and limit the dissemination of the disease.

Prof Crosier said drugs which restrict the development of new blood vessels which are used in cancer therapy are very expensive, but the discovery provided an opportunity to screen for cheap, small molecules which could do the same job.

AAP.